


Sacrifice

by HeirOfTimeItself



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Spoilers for end of season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27534526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeirOfTimeItself/pseuds/HeirOfTimeItself
Summary: Allan-A-Dale is gone... but you have yet to find out.
Relationships: Allan-a-Dale/Reader
Kudos: 3





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> A short piece inspired during a recent rewatch of the series. The emotion surrounding Allan's sacrifice was one of the most devastating moments in the entirety of the series and I wanted to pay my own tribute to it. Hope you enjoy :)

“More cloth over here!”

You yelled to whoever was listening. As soon as the citadel was recaptured, you’d immediately set up a field hospital out in the courtyard. Ironic that so many had lost their lives to execution here, yet you were going to use it to save lives.

You’d desperately wanted to be a part of the battle, but Robin wouldn’t allow it. In fact, Robin hadn’t allowed you to leave camp, you reminisced bitterly as you tore more rough cotton into strips.

_You had been in Locksley village, making sure the women and children were safe and cared for before the big battle you knew was to come. In that time, Isabella, then Sheriff of Nottingham, proclaimed Allan a free man, in thanks to his supposed services to the Sheriff. You hadn’t been there to help defend him against the rest of the gang, who believed he’d turned traitor again. By the time you’d returned to camp, it was cleared. You assumed everyone had left for the battle and you didn’t want to be far behind. Picking up your bow, you saw two notes pinned to its quiver. The first, from Robin, telling you to stay at camp until he sent word. You couldn’t understand it, until you read the second note, hastily scrawled in the rough penmanship you had managed to teach its author._

“We need water over here!” you heard, grateful for the distraction from your thoughts. You moved patient to patient, and while you were no physician, you were at least able to stitch wounds and bandage them. So many men of all ages were in the courtyard, some more wounded than others. You tried not to vomit as you saw two young men carried out of the makeshift infirmary to be added to the mound of the dead.

You needed a minute to breathe, but not all of these people had a minute. And so, you patched them up, some of them to stay and others to head back out to battle. You heard a familiar voice, and turned around to see Robin walking around, trying to comfort the people. Eventually, he came over to you. Stopping in front of you, he looked around. “You’ve done good,” he simply stated.

You glanced up at him from the arm you were stitching. “No telling me off for not listening to you, then?”

He gave a sad smile. “I’m sorry.” Robin waited for a moment while you finished bandaging up your latest patient. “Y/N, there’s something I have to tell ya.”

You walked over to a bowl of water and washed the blood off of your hands, wiping them dry on your tunic. “I already know about Allan,” you replied harshly.

“Y/N, you have to understand-“

“Oh, I understand everything just fine. After ‘im risking his life for ya day after day, trying to atone for what he’d done... it didn’t mean anything to ya after all.” You glared at him and pressed a finger into his chest. “*You* betrayed *him*. All of ya.”

He didn’t stop you or try to defend himself, but your fury diminished at the sorrow in his eyes. “What? What’s happened?”

Robin’s expression was full of nothing but pain. “You and Allan were right. In the end, he was the most loyal of us all.” “In the end?” you voiced back, unsure of his words. Then it was as if time stopped. “Allan...” you clapped both hands over your mouth. “No... no... Robin, tell me he’s back, that he’s alive, don’t tell me he’s...” You couldn’t bring yourself to speak the last word.

“I’m so sorry,” was his only reply. You fell to your knees, all strength gone from your body. “We’re going to honor him. Will you come with us?” he asked gently, kneeling down to face you.

You nodded slowly, still trying to comprehend it all. This morning, you’d woken up in his arms, feeling the happiest you’ve ever been. His love warmed your heart, and you’d never seen a future with anyone the way you saw a future with him. You could’ve been outlaws til the end of your days, as long as the two of you were together. He’d even brought up the idea of marriage, though you knew he’d wait until the perfect moment to actually propose. How could you suddenly be in a world without him?

You numbly followed Robin to the rest of the gang, where Tuck and John had just rested a body on top of a pyre. Allan’s body. Much, Guy, and Kate stood nearby, sorrow clouding their expressions as well. They all watched you as you approached, though they barely existed in your current state. You placed a hand on his chest, hoping this was some sick joke, that he would open those beautiful blue eyes of his and smile at you, but you felt nothing. You let out a sob and collapsed over him. All the warmth of him was gone. Only the cold embrace of death greeted you as you buried your face into his chest and screamed your sorrow.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and looked up to see Kate standing next to you, eyes tinged with red. She didn’t need to say anything. You knew it was time. Placing a kiss on his forehead and draping the cloth over his face, you stepped back to let Much and Tuck step forward with the torches. Kate stayed by your side, holding your hand as they lowered the flames towards the wood.

“To Allan...” Much proclaimed softly. “Our loyal friend.”

They all stayed as the fire rose, but after a few moments, Robin motioned for the others to leave. He stood by you for a moment. “You should have this,” he said solemnly, handing you a ring. It was a beautiful stone, the same color as your eyes, set on the most delicate silver band. There was no question what it was.

“He had this with him?” You questioned out loud, slipping the ring onto your left ring finger.

Robin looked at you with sorrowful eyes, giving you a wordless answer. “Take your time. We’ll hold off the enemy as long as we can.”

“Were they the ones?” You asked in little more than a whisper. He simply nodded, and after another moment walked away to join the people.

You couldn’t find it in yourself to look away from the flames, and as you sunk to the ground, the last words you had from him came back to you unbidden.

_Y/N, my love. I can’t explain everything, and I’m sorry for that. I’ve had to go away for a while, but I promise I’ll come back for ya. Stay with the gang so I know you’re safe. When I come back, we’ll leave together, just the two of us. Wait for me til then, love._

As the flames died down, you heard shouting and the clang of metal drowning out your other senses. Your eyes were still tinged red, but your tears of grief were gone, replaced by those of fury. The men who were coming were the ones who took your love and your life away from you.

You rose and took the two short swords that were once Allan’s from beside the pyre. It was time you took their lives away from them.

And before long, you would see your love again.


End file.
